Logging in new contracts, a look at what may come next — and a few words from me in response to my critics

Today’s official news from the Sharks front office once again barely counts as it’s information that’s been circulating online and in print for days now:

Defensemen Rob Blake coming back for one year ($3.5 million) and Kent Huskins signing a two-year deal ($1.5 million and $1.9 million), though the team release does not include the dollar amounts.

Today’s hint of what’s to come: Look for the Sharks to acquire someone to fill the role of fourth-line center as early as Friday, no later than early next week. The goal is to bring in someone with a much grittier style of play than Marcel Goc or Tomas Plihal. Let the speculation begin.

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****I’ve spent the last 24 hours or so trying to figure out how to respond to the personal attacks on me (and the company I work for) in here. Yeah, I read every syllable.

Sometimes, you’ve just got to drop the gloves.

I don’t know which bothers me the most – the cluelessness or the arrogance. Sometimes it’s a combination of the two. Like that rant that goes on about how I haven’t even asked Doug Wilson for the results of his much-heralded “autopsy.”

The thing is, I did ask. And wrote about it June 18. In hindsight, I feel bad about making it the second item that day and not the first, but it was covered in the headline. Hard to miss. Here’s a five-paragraph excerpt:

***Sharks GM Doug Wilson has completed his “autopsy” of that first-round playoff elimination, but he’s not sharing his conclusions as to the cause of death.

“I’ve got a job to do and that takes priority over anything else,” he said this week. “It’s more important going about our business than sharing what we’re going to do.”

OK, I didn’t expect to get any names at this point. Duh. But maybe, I figured, the GM would answer one of the questions posed when he met with the media shortly after players cleaned out their lockers:

Do you think everything needs to be blown up, or can you take a more surgical approach?

Nah, even that remains a secret.***

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So I did ask that question. Was I happy with the answer? No. Will I bring it up again? Uh, yes, when I sense that I can get a different response.

A lot of you have done a good job of trying to explain what this blog is and isn’t all about. You get it – even if you don’t always like it — and I am grateful. And I do appreciate the attempts to either explain or defend me – especially the suggestion that people at least have the courtesy to spell my name right while dumping all over me. Still, the misspelling continued. Unbelievable.

To the critics: No, it’s not unreasonable to expect a little analysis here at some point. But right now I’m not going to get all hot and bothered because the Sharks haven’t altered the core group by July 9. Last year people were spitting blood in here because Doug Wilson did nothing on July 1. Seventy-two hours later, Dan Boyle and Rob Blake were on the roster.

The opinion? Nope, like others have said, that’s what the newspaper has columnists for (and one of them already has written on the fact the Sharks are doing little to this point, so looks like somebody’s wrong about that as well.)

To the critics: If my boss wants to know how many times I’m calling an agent, I’m glad to tell him. Some hothead in here? Not so much.

To all: If you were part of WTC at the start of the summer, you might remember reading my explanation about how this blog will work in the off-season. Because of the six- and seven-day weeks that I work between September and, well, late April this year, I had accumulated almost three months of comp (compensatory) time off that the paper insists that I take off for financial reasons. That’s on top of vacation time that I must use as well.

The deal was this – as news dictated, I’d be working. All other days – days I could be on the phone chasing down players, agents and wild geese — I needed to take as time off. Today, like many of those when I’ve posted over the past two months, is an off day. There will be a lot more of them in the next two months. That said, go sell lazy elsewhere. I’m not buying it.

I hate sounding defensive. I hate being bullied even more.

Doug Wilson isn’t going to show up here to respond to his accusers. But I couldn’t let that stop me.

***Leaving town for a few days and hoping to disconnect myself from the blog. Kind of a well-timed cooling off period for me and let me suggest that others consider treating it the same.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

midge #253 -quite bizarre about the numbers -DP has a new post about rumored 4th line pick – might be Scott Nichol.

glennzky

I’m upset Moen signed with Montreal today. He’s what was needed on the 3rd or 4th line. The Sharks paid a heavy price for him as a rental (and in the end only kept Huskins). DW keeps giving away picks and prospects for rentals (Guerin and Campbell for example). That’s going to hurt the Sharks.

glennzky

I liked Mink in the AHL and he won a championship there. Not sure how well he’ll do in the NHL. Don’t think he is going to really help you get the Stanley Cup.

Evilducks

Psst. There’s a new post with info on who our mystery center is going to be.

Wissened Rinkrat

Andrew #245,
Just an observation…DW has not invested in any Europeans other than low round draft picks in recent memory. Michalek is the only exception and we needed immediate help in those days. There have been quite a few available! Satan, Hossa, Lang, Koivu, Sundin, Modin, Kovalev to name a few; some really good and some not so good. The big trades, deadline deals and the signings have all been for North Americans if my memory serves me correctly. Sorry for being so short-sighted. Age and experience will do that to you.

midge

#228…Wissened…

yeah…just a matter of money…can’t pay $3M on the 3rd line….

first PO game…he was…without doubt…the worst player on the ice…

after that…he took on Pronger…played his heart out…scored…was back to the old Cheech for more than several shifts…

he was really cheap for a Rocket-Man…and really expensive for L3 here…

Wissened Rinkrat

Given the trend to floppers (Butterfly goalies), you have to pay a premium for guys who can go to the roof. There aren’t that many around and Cheech and Pavs. are the only ones we have. I would consider moving someone else first. Again, in the POs it is the guys who can get their sticks on point shots and who have quick hands that can get the puck up quickly that score big goals. Of course you have to be willing to go into the pit too!

John

I think some perspective is in order… Does DP give us all the information he possibly knows, or speculates? No.

Should he? No.

Journalists must balance the information they report, with relationships they try to maintain with the team staff\players\coaches\friends. If you don’t, you become a bumbling speculative idiot like Al Strachan.

As for DP, remember the average IQ is 100. Read any online comments at sites like TSN, and you note fanatical lunacy, outrage, and spelling mistakes (to/too/two, there/their/they’re, your/you’re) to make your head spin.

Keep up the hard dedicated work.

midge

#211…Ocean…

Couture…so now you’re saying he can’t skate and is injury-prone…

‘hello…scouting??? DW here.’
‘Couture…Kasper…et…al…you’re fired’…

midge

#243…Wissened…

I think it’s whoever’s left under $1M…and don’t stop to look too closely in the budget-saver mouth…

the more I think about it…the more pressure I think DW is under to deliver on his promises…’CUP’!!!

think he’s not looking at long-term anything here…think he’s got a year left (max) and his house is the one for sale…

think we’re talking ‘quick, cheap fix’ here…or else…

think that end-of-season anger was his vision of his job going up in smoke…

midge

#261…Wissened…

if memory serves…and like you…it often gets skewed these days (!)…

Cheech got his goal and only PM and DB had two so in that light, he and Clowe came out mathematically similar…oops…just looked up the numbers…Cheech and Clowe both 1G, 1A…but Cheech a +1 and Clowe a -4….

And Cheech certainly paid a hefty price given the beatings delivered his way from Pronger…sat in Pronger’s crease getting beat up too…so IMO the POs were his best all season…and he certainly wasn’t lacking heart, grit or passion…

Teejay

DP, if your blog was intended to generate sympathy, it did just exactly that, BUT, count me in as one of your sympathizers and supporters. I think you do a terrific job. Keep up the good work.

Have a good vacation.

oceanside

midge #263: “Couture…so now you’re saying he can’t skate and is injury-prone…”

It was actually phelps who first raised these “issues” – to get a different and perspective from HockeyFuture, I googled Logan Couture bad skater injuries, dumteedumdum, the first hit was from HF Boards, circa January, 2008 – take these remarks with a grain of salt, but I must say they seem to confirm that phelps’ concerns have some merit.

a. “What is the popular consensus on this guy? I know he had mono going into his draft year and his stock slipped somewhat with his lackluster production. His production looks even worse this year, and he didn’t play for Team Canada. Why is he struggling, is his stock slipping even more?”

b. “Suffered a concussion last night too, they said on Sportsnet, after crashing head first into the turnbuckle on the end of the glass.”

c.”Sounds like Logan Couture is having a tough time. Those concussions can be nasty for development, hopefully he can stay healthy and avoid ending up like another Ottawa 67 product, Alyn McCauley.”

d. “If not for the mono early in the year and If his skating was better Couture likely would have went top 5 in the NHL draft.”

e. “i seriously doubt that….”

f. “I remember reading an interview somewhere with him where he mentions that his conditioning is just NOW at where it was pre-mono, so he must have had a really bad case of it. Still though, his offensive potential isn’t greater than guys like Voracek, Gagner, and the forwards taken ahead of them IMO, and Hickey and Alzner were need picks. So it then becomes a question of whether his all-around play and other intangibles increases his value enough to vault ahead of any of the previous guys mentioned. I’m hearing him mentioned as a future captain in this thread, but I remember the scuttlebut surrounding his OHL draft selection was that he was raising a big stink over not being the #1 pick because of Tavares being granted eligibility, and even suggested he might not report, which led to him dropping to the 67’s. Has he just matured considerably since then (wouldn’t be surprising considering he plays for Killer), or were those reports overblown?”

g. “Couture started last year at or near the top of some lists then fell to the mid teens by year end and was taken below ten. Not exactly the kind of developement you want but he has had health problems. Still IMO his potential has gone from first line guy as a 16 year old to second as of now. I think the lack of attention from the Canadian junior team says something too.”

Old Dave

DP—It’s summer, the fans are upset over the playoffs, and the “mums the word” Sharks’ management are nowhere to be found.

I am a long-time season ticket holder and the only thing I hear from them is when I get bills for my tickets and announcements about up-coming (mostly awful) events at the Tank. Oh, and I did get the 2008-’09 team picture in the mail the other day—with the caption: “Presidents’ trophy Winner”! JOY!

So, the fans, needing some way to vent, are using you as the most convenient target. Don’t take it personal–you are just the most visible target!

I used to think DW was a great GM. But, when the going gets tough, he seems to slither away—-much like his team.

Mark

I have never previously posted, but I just wanted to give you an “atta boy” for the work you do here. I now come here first for my Sharks news, and I think you do a hell of a job of presenting things in a very objective way…and with the information you get and the calls you make and the people you track down…I am not buying “lazy” at all.

Please keep up the good work, it is appreciated.

J FEVER

#34 wings /shark fan..WTF??? someone sock that fool

Sean Pike

Hey, I have never made a comment before, but want to say that I am a Sharks fan who reads you daily, and really like the information you bring to us. Thank you for your efforts, and I hope that some folks dont dissuade you from what many of us, probably the majority, dont take time to thank you for.

The silent majority,

Sean.

Mike

Hi David,

Your blog is extremely interesting. I subscribed to the eEdition of the Mercury News as a way of showing support.

I’m sorry for the people who can’t keep their disagreements civil, and personal attacks are out of line, as far as I’m concerned.

Mike (who enjoyed it when you were the “Fan in the Stand” in the section 103/104 tunnel)

phil

DP,

I love reading your blog and I’m not worried about what the Sharks organization will and will not tell you. They do what they want and none of us, including news men are going to change that. I’m just happy with the updates and occasional insights.

I mean, really, in the end hockey is just a fun game and if one isn’t making money off of it, one should get a life away from hockey and blogs and the like during the summer.

To those who are railing against DP: There is a thing called girls…go find one. They’re really fun. But get a job and a life first because for some odd reason they really like that combination. 😉

phil (since the beginning)

I just wrote #272. After I wrote that I browsed some of the above. I saw that someone wrote something to the affect of sock #34. I scroll up and find…ANOTHER PHIL! And this one is a, oh god…a Wings fan and a Sharks fan.

As one of the legions of Phil’s I will say that I have never been, nor will ever be a Wing’s fan. Shark’s fans are spontaneous and loyal. Wing’s fans only started showing up in the 90’s when their team started winning. On top of that they named the place Hockey Town as a freekin’ marketing campaign. Now every Wing’s fan loves to tell everyone how they are the Hockey Town. Not Monteal. Not Canada. No. Detroit is Hockey Town. That bombed out shell of what once resembled a city. Blech!

puckace

Wow! Computer dies and the blog melts down as well. I missed all the fireworks but I can’t say I’m disappointed. I have been reading all the comments in each post, but I don’t know why I did. Can’t say I missed them while the computer was down. However, I really missed your posts David Pollak.

This is the only site I frequently come to for Sharks information. I can’t get anything better anywhere else. David please don’t let a few idiots get you down. You do an outstanding job on this blog and your articles for the Merc. I love it just the way it is (except for a few ultra negative posters).

Oceanside Thanks for the reply a few entries ago. I understand that you just want to point out a few good examples of how other organizations do things well. I admire how Detroit does things as well. But I did hope that you would say more about what the Sharks are doing right. I would hope that you would be open minded enough to comment on a few positives for the Sharks organization. Nice that you can afford to be a season ticket holder for all of those years. Some of us can’t or don’t live near enough to do so. Center Ice, BACSN, or VS (Ugh!) are all some of us can get.

oceanside

puckace #273 Perhaps being a seasons ticket holder for a good long time explains why I am so frustrated? Hmmmmmm…

I’m not going to be “positive” just for the sake of sounding happy, perky. I like being realistic not phony Up With People. I’ve said this numerous times – the Sharks are a business and the GM has had over 5 years to complete the task he was paid very handsomely to accomplish. He has failed and needs to move on. The Sharks need a new GM with the vision and smarts it takes to build a SC winning team. How many more years should fans have their hopes dashed? So no I’m not going to write empty cheery lies about this management just to sound “positive”. There’s a number of posters here who fill that bill.

puckace

Oceanside Fair enough. It’s what I expected to hear from you but to each their own. I never asked you to be happy or perky though…

I want the Sharks to win a Stanley Cup as badly as any other fan here at WTC. It bothers me that so many other expansion teams have won or made it to the Finals before the Sharks. And I am so tired of seeing the Sharks getting outworked in the playoffs.

Am I “happy” with all the Sharks management has done? No. Except for Thornton and Boyle, most trades have been busts. I did like Rivet though. However, I do remember the Cow Palace days. I don’t want to return to them anytime soon. We are not the Islanders or Thrashers. For that I am thankful. The facts are that the Sharks are doing some things right. Just not enough for the cup yet. Sigh…..

DmanCowPalaceDays

DP, you’re the best! Have always enjoyed your articles and blog. Keep up the good work! Very much appreciated. Cheers from a Toronto born, season ticket holder starting with the Cow Palace Sharks. Go Sharks, go DP!

phelpsphanphive

joebl,

you’re right. I spelled his name wrong. I’ve probably spelled it right before too but without paying attention got into the habit of spelling it with a ck.

Now that that completely irrelevant issue is out of the way… yes, irrelevant in that, again, another yes, i should have payed attention to that and spelled his name right, it was uncharacteristic of me, but no, it has nothing to do with me blaming him or the lack of information, or anything I’ve been talking about.

As for I’m the one to blame because I did not research his blog lol. It’s obvious you were in a fit of rage when you posted, which can clearly be seen by your aggressive, nasty tone, and capitalized words, so you weren’t thinking clearly, unbiasedly. Who “researches” a blog before posting a comment? No one. I may be at fault because I’d blamed Dave Pollak for not asking 20 or so questions to the Sharks management, and then it turned out that he had asked one of them. Sure, if that’s how we’ll be assigning blame, that’s perfectly reasonable. But under that postulate of blaming people, so to speak, Dave would still be to blame for the other 19 questions that he had not asked. Just because he’d asked one of the many questions I’d complained about him not asking does not mean the main thesis of everything I said does not still remain true. Whether it’s Pollak’s fault, Doug Wilson’s fault, or the fault of them both, Dave Pollak is not getting enough information out of the Sharks management group. Everybody agrees on that. You can’t tell me I’m full of shit and then stick up for Pollak on this issue, because if I’m full of shit on this issue, so is Pollak. He has complained on his blog about the lack of information he gets from the Sharks management. And I have complained on his blog that he is not getting enough information from the Sharks management. So you see, Dave and I both agree on my thesis. He is not getting enough information. When trades are agreed on verbally in Montreal, the fans hear about the trade hours before the papers get signed and it’s announced. Here, when a trade happens, we don’t hear about it until Doug Wilson announces it, or when TSN reports it (just like TSN reports the trades that happen in Montreal before hand).

How come TSN, who are not located in SJ, can get wind of a trade before Dave, who does live in San Jose?

That’s just an example. There are not enoguh trades that happen in a given year for this to be an issue that often. But the example does illustrate what’s wrong with this picture. It just has to do with information in general. This blog is the only place Sharks fans can look to get information, yet there is barely any information here that is not common knowledge, that places that don’t even cover the Sharks report on before or at the same time Pollak does. He reports very well on interviews with players, re-signings, and other stuff like that … what he does report on, he does a good job reporting on, for sure. He just does not write anything on the big stories, nothing on Heatley, nothing on which GM’s Doug Wilson has been talking to the most, no information on the upcoming veneer of change. And that’s what I want to hear about. You’re right I can’t speak for everyone. I can only speak for myself, and the other people who I have heard say they want the same thing. When I see “we, the sharks fans,” I mean myself and the other Sharks fans who I have heard say they want more information about what’s going on in terms of change, trades. Do you really think there are actually hardcore Sharks fans who do NoT want more information on what moves will happen? Everyone wants to hear more. That’s why it’s “we.” I know what sharks fans want. You’re criticizing me for saying “we all want more information,” that I can’t speak for other people, yet you’re so enraged and anti-me at all costs that you failed to mention that you would like more information too. You want to beat up what I write because you don’t necessarily like the way I express myself, but deep down you agree with the actual point of my post, which is that we all want more information. If you say you disagree, that you do not want more information on trades, on what’s happening with… whether it be Heatley, or whoever your favorite players are in the league who are being rumored with SJ, then you’re lying. Every fan who cares about the team wants to know more about what will happen to it. That’s just natural. If you actually don’t care then no wonder you’re complaining. You’re not that much of a fan then if you don’t care about what happens to the team.

There I’ve explained. Now please don’t respond. I have no interest in your opinion. And that goes for everyone who wants to disagree with me. You have all shown that you can’t really disagree with me on sound grounds. The only reason you disagree in the first place is because of you’re missing something, and instead of a good conversation on the sharks, or an interesting read for me, all that means is I have to correct your flawed deductions to further the dialogue. Every time I post I have to deal with five people who started watching the sharks once they heard they were in the playoffs, and now think they know about the team, who want to argue with me because they don’t understand something, and it’s annoying. But for every five people like that there is one person who actually understands the league and the team, and that’s the post worth reading. So from now on I just want those posts, not the five other ones. If you disagree with me, just don’t respond. I don’t care what you think. I don’t care about your opinion. I just want replies from people who agree with me, because those are the only people who understand the team and the league, and why would I want anyone replying to me who doesn’t understand those things?

So if you agree with my posts, feel free to reply, and we can have a dialogue about what we both understand. If you disagree, you don’t understand, even if you think you do, so please don’t bother. Quite much appreciated. Thank you.

Buster

phelpsphanphive, this – “So if you agree with my posts, feel free to reply, and we can have a dialogue about what we both understand. If you disagree, you don’t understand, even if you think you do, so please don’t bother.” is a really weak look. Seriously man, try growing up a little bit and learn to have a dialogue with people who might actually disagree with you otherwise it’s somewhat of a circlejerk. The crying and then pouting with your fingers in your ears is kind of pathetic. Great blog DP, sorry it actually took this bozo for me to make it interactive. Keep up the fantastic work.

Evilducks

“So if you agree with my posts, feel free to reply, and we can have a dialogue about what we both understand. If you disagree, you don’t understand, even if you think you do, so please don’t bother. Quite much appreciated. Thank you.”

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